State Representative Karen Reddington-Hughes, R-66 visited Woodbury Middle School on April 10 to congratulate sixth-grade students Stella Fitzgerald and Penelope Losh on their winning essays in her Women in Connecticut History essay contest.

Fitzgerald won first place for her essay on Harriet Beecher Stowe and Losh was the runner-up with her essay on Ella Grasso. Rep. Reddington-Hughes presented the students each with a citation from the Connecticut General Assembly for their winning essays on a notable Connecticut woman in history and what their contributions mean to them and for our state. All WMS sixth graders were assigned the essay for Women’s History Month in March in their social studies and ELA classes. The essays were read by a panel of judges including WMS and district administrators and district social studies teachers and instructional leaders.

Reddington-Hughes said she was thankful for Woodbury Middle School’s participation in this contest for Women’s History Month. “These are women who are forerunners in their fields and have cleared the pathways for women in the future,” she said.

“I chose Harriet Beecher Stowe because I already knew a lot about her from when we visited her house,” Fitzgerald said. “She impressed me and I just think her life was so interesting.”  

Runner-up Penelope Losh chose Ella Grasso as her subject. “I think it is so cool that she was the first American woman elected as governor of a state on her own,” Losh said.